Tuesday, February 2, 2010

What is the crescent pale circle near the cuticle on fingernails?

I've just been noticing this on people's hands and I know I used to have them (I still do on my thumbs and big toes) but there is an inverted pale crescent shaped part near the cuticle on fingernails, which I don't seem to have on mine. It's bigger on some peoples nails than others. What is this and why is it a more pale color than the rest of the nail and why don't I have them?What is the crescent pale circle near the cuticle on fingernails?i thnk its called the lunear or something.What is the crescent pale circle near the cuticle on fingernails?Causes: White spots (called leukonychia) and marks on your nails can be caused by a multitude of things including: a fungal, yeast or bacterial infection, a number of skin conditions, a zinc deficiency, but usually they are caused by some mild trauma (like knocks and bumps) to the nail bed.

Because a normal fingernail takes about seven months to grow out completely, you may not notice the mark of an injury until several months after you鈥檝e actually bumped or knocked it. And if it鈥檚 just damage or bruising to the nail bed, the good news is that these white spots will disappear naturally as your nail continues to grow out.

A couple of other things can cause white spots as well. Psoriasis and eczema can cause whitish spots on the nails; either by disrupting normal nail production at the root, or causing separation at the tip. Because both of these skin disorders typically involve the skin as well as the nails, they're almost always diagnosed as a result of the accompanying skin problems. So if you've got the spots alone, it's unlikely you've got psoriasis or eczema.

Cirrhosis, a form of chronic liver disease, generally caused by excessive drinking and alcoholism, can also result in nails that are almost completely white.

But if you do rule out all of the above, upping your intake of zinc rich foods and/or taking a good zinc supplement may make a difference. If you are also experiencing hair loss or your immune system isn鈥檛 exactly firing on all cylinders, then perhaps your zinc status is not up to par.